A simplified computational approach for prediction of transient climatic conditions in underground mine airways

Abstract

A simplified approach for prediction of transient climatic conditions in an underground airway os presented. The dry surface temperature of the airway is calculated using a finite difference scheme, whereas the wet surface temperature is determined following the concept of pseudo-base-temperature of air and using the value of thermal gradient at the dry surface as obtained from the finite difference solution of the temperature profile in the dry rock. The air-current temperatures are regularly evaluated after a suitable time span so as to simulate a real-case situation, and the re-evaluated air-current temperatures are used for further calculations. For increasing age of the airway the wet surface temperature obtained by the finite difference scheme, with an appropriate value of thermal diffusivity, is compared with its value determined by the pseudo-base-temperature approach.